


Goblin Slayer and The Hunters of the Undead

by owlsmidnightmoon



Category: Goblin Slayer (Manga)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:47:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 7,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24076195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/owlsmidnightmoon/pseuds/owlsmidnightmoon
Summary: Goblin Slayer joins a group of adventurers on a solemn quest to find and slay a necromancer and his hoards of undead. Goblin Slayer joins with the promise of fighting some kind of goblin, be it alive or undead.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8





	1. The Gobin Slayer

Water dripped down from the ceiling of the dark, cramped tunnel. The air was completely rancid and dead with no airflow. A terrible sound of crying women and young girls partnered with the slapping noise of flesh against flesh, and the demonic laughter of some small humanoid creature as they tortured their female charges. They lived in their own feces, dead and decaying bodies discarded in the corners, squabbled and fought over the weapons, food, and treasure they had stolen from their victims with their small, green, disfigured hands. This was indeed a goblin cave.

A lone figure stood in the tunnel leading to the cave where the despicable festivities took place, a small torch that flickered weakly clutched in his hand. His dirty, smelly leather armor made hardly a sound as he padded his way down the hall, the only metal on him his helmet with to broken horns on either side and a burned-off feather plume sticking out the top, a short sword that hung on his waist, and the dagger that hung beside it. His face completely hidden from view, except one bright eye that glowed red with burning hate and anger.

The goblin on watch stared longingly at the cave where the sounds came from. He was just as despicable as the others and would have happily joined in on the torture if he hadn’t been forced on watch. What was the point of keeping watch, anyway? They’d just recently pillaged the only village within miles, leaving no one there in any condition to come and attack them. Too late, he heard something flying through the air. A dagger landed squarely in his throat with enough force for the point to come out the backside of his neck. The goblin slumped to the ground without a sound.

The armored figure calmly walked through the rest of the tunnel to the entrance to the cavern. His movements calm and silent, he left the dagger where it had landed, instead picking up the spear the goblin wielded before his demise. Only now did he turn to the young girl in priestess robes who followed him. She clutched a staff in her hands, doing her best to keep the rings attached to the top from ringing together. Behind her in the tunnel, the man could just barely make out the shapes a white-haired dwarf and a small elf who held a bow at the ready. With a quick nod from the man, the four of them burst into the cave under the cover of the young girl’s holy light and the dwarf’s sleeping spell.

The man stepped out of the tunnel into the light of day, the naked body of a woman in his arms. To the right of the cave stood a hulking lizard man Priest who hadn’t accompanied the rest inside due to the simple fact that he wouldn’t fit. The young priestess, her white robes of the earth mother once again covered in the blood and gore of goblins, stepped out of the tunnel with a small sigh, supporting the beaten, bloodied, abused, and defiled body of one of many captured women. The Lizard Priest looked up from his meditation, and upon seeing the Priestess struggle under the weight of the woman, leaped to his feet to assist them. The Dwarf Shaman stepped out next, teasing and joking with the elf woman behind him as they too supported an injured woman. They set the women down outside the tunnel, covering them with all the spare fabric they had on them, the Elf Ranger running off to the town to collect a wagon for the freed captives.

The man looked up to the blue sky as the blood dripped from his gore-soaked hands. Another cave of goblin slew, this time before they had the chance to kill the women they collected as playthings. Yet while they stood here after a win, in a cave or village somewhere else, goblins were killing, stealing, and ruining someone else’s life. The man felt a tug on his arm and looked down to see the Priestess’s bright blue eyes. She gave a small smile and pointed down the trail leading to the nearby village.

“Look, the villagers are on their way. We can go home, Goblin Slayer!”


	2. The Questors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing the OCs yo

A fire crackled lively in the center of a small camp. Five people sat in silence. One upon a log had an enormous sword across her lap, a wet stone in one hand, a polishing rag in the other. Her brown hair flowed down her back, long and uncut as a testament to her strength and unbeatability in battle. Tattered leathers stitched together covered her body, cured and well-taken care of. She was decently built, strong muscles and a wide stance, yet she maintained a feminine look and had a beauty to her.

Next to her sat a small rhea, dressed in white and red robes and holding a scepter with the insignia of a life goddess. Her white hair was pulled back into a braid that laid on her chest next to a holy symbol. Her small hands fiddled with a coin, expertly flipping it over and around her knuckles. She huddled on the log; her limbs pulled close to her body. It made her look even smaller than she usually was. Occasionally, she glanced over to the woman with the large sword with her large chocolate brown eyes, a smile on her round little face as she performed a trick with the coin.

Across the fire, a young man with delicate and feminine features lounged with his back against a large log, his eyes closed. Jet black hair, messily cut but stylish, hung around his face. A long black tail stretched out next to his legs. He wore a brightly colored tunic with elegant and careful stitching, and his trousers were of some mysterious fabric, as the black color seemed to shimmer in the firelight. A lute sat on his lap, and he picked it up and began to play a tune, his fingers absentmindedly moving back and forth across the strings.

To his right a young woman laid on her back atop the log, hands folded behind her head as she stared up into the night sky, curly black hair spayed out behind her. The two of them were identical in looks, the only differences in height and apparel. She was dressed in simple blue robes, cut to fit snuggly and for ease of movement, her shoes more like slippers with a very sturdy sole. The cat ears on her head twitched in response to the young man’s tune. She playfully flicked her tail at him. He opened his eyes and turned to look are her, his eyes amber with a slit pupil, a cheeky smirk on his face showing a sharpened canine. She smiled back, revealing a pair of sharp canines as well.

Sitting right next to the fire on a stump was a young elf. Crimson hair down his back twisted into a braid lay coiled on the ground behind him. He held a stick in his hand, occasionally stirring the fire with it. A bow tucked into a quiver of arrows hung from his back along with two short swords. He wore a simple green tunic with brown trousers under elaborate and detailed leather armor. He gave a small smile when the young man started playing a tune, but then let out a sigh.

His soft voice like honey came forth, and the others stopped what they were doing and listened, the last note from the lute fading into silence. “We still need one more fighter. I’m not confident my melee skills are strong enough to face the task at hand.”

The woman with the sword grunted. “The next town has an Adventurer’s Guild; we can find someone there.” Her voice was surprisingly sultry, with a slight musical tone to it.

The Rhea Cleric shook her head and stretched out her limbs. “We can’t just pick up some random adventurer, the Life Goddess won’t allow it.” Her voice was surprisingly flat and serious, vastly different from her cute demeanor.

A collective sigh escaped everyone around the fire. The Padfoot man playing the instrument twiddled away at the strings, a strong and hearty melody, his voice the perfect match as he spoke. “Mayhaps the solution is right before your eyes, much like the starry skies. Pray to your goddess of life, that she might relieve our strife.”

The rhea girl nodded thoughtfully. “Perhaps you are right. Guidance asked for is usually guidance received.”

The Padfoot in monk’s clothes stretched out on her perch. “Good, it’s settled then. Our little Rhea will do her praying, we’ll all sleep, and we’ll find a strapping young man to join us on our quest, so long as he’s handsome.” Almost as soon as she had finished speaking, she was asleep.

The elf sitting next to the fire gave a small smile, gaze still fixed intensely into the flames of their small fire. “Get some rest, everyone, I’ll take first watch. We’re going mystery roster tonight; I’ll wake one of you up when I’m done.” A collective groan from the awake parties sounded throughout, heard from high up in the trees.

A single black crow took off from its perch and flew into the night.


	3. The Adventurer's Guild

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The party is zoning in on Goblin Slayer

A large bag of coins slammed down on the table. Guild Girl sighed in relief after carrying the heavy burden all the way from upstairs. Not missing a beat, she immediately stared up at the patron standing in front of her desk, for once a genuine smile on her face. He always managed to make her smile. The helmeted, as always, face of a man decked out in dirty, yet fully functional, leather armor stared back at her.

“Here’s your reward, Goblin Slayer, just like those three promised! Is there anything else I can do for you today?” She stared at him expectantly, waiting for the familiar words to fall from his lips.

“No. I’ll be heading home now.” He said, his voice blunt and straight to the point.

Guild Girl just stared back in surprise. “Oh…okay, have a nice day then…” was all she could get out before he was gone out the door. She slumped back into her chair, resting her chin in her hands.

She didn’t even get long to sulk before the door to the Adventurer’s Guild was flung open and five people strode in, a motley-looking crew. Two Padfoots that were indistinguishable apart from their garb, a large, buff, beautiful woman covered in furs, a small rhea cleric who looked simply too cute and too pure for this world, and a handsome, stoic elf at the front, obviously the leader. The group made their way to the counter, the man stepping forward in front of his companions.

“Excuse me, my lady, but we’re looking for a specific person to join our party, and we were informed that they could be found here. Do you think you could help us?”

Guild Girl popped up from her seat. “Oh yes of course! Do you have any specific traits to narrow down the search? There are many capable adventures in this town.”

The elf glanced back at the rhea and began to hesitantly answer. “Well, we were told to look for one that only hunts those that are green. This person also has eyes that light with fire in the heat of battle and has donned the armor of those that wish to disadvantage their enemy in their death.” He appeared slightly bashful at his description and added before Guild Girl could respond, “My apologies, Lady, for such a cryptic description. I wish we had more detail to give you.”

Guild Girl just tilted her head thoughtfully. “Well,” she said, “there actually is someone that belongs to the guild here that fits that description. ‘Only hunts green’ gave it away quite instantly.” She smiled at the group. “His name is Goblin Slayer. He lives on a farm just outside of town. In fact, he just left moments ago. I’m sure you’ll be able to catch up with him if you hurry!"


	4. The Recruiting of a Slayer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Goblin Slayer meets the group of Questors

Goblin Slayer was doing his rounds around the farm. Usually he waited to do them until dawn, as that was when the prints would be the freshest, but as he had been gone for a few days he figured it appropriate to check now. Of all places for Goblins to attack, this one would be the worst. Large open spaces weren’t really Goblin Slayer’s strong suite. It was too much area to block off, not enough cover, and enough room to become surrounded quite easily. While Goblins, individually, could be taken care of easily, a large number surrounding you is an issue not easily overcome when one is alone.

He’d gotten maybe halfway down the first stretch of fence, working silently and deep in his thoughts, when the sound of a group approaching the farm reached his ears. Goblin Slayer listened for a moment, still checking the fence. The footsteps were slow, few in number, and most too heavy to be Goblins. Too many to be the group he’d just finished traveling with. Whoever it was either greatly confident in their abilities or not a threat. Deeming it not worth his time, and figuring it might be people here who had business with the old man who owned the farm, Goblin Slayer continued his work.

Moments later a voice called out to him. “Excuse me, dear sir, could you help us for a moment?”

Goblin Slayer looked up. Standing there was a party of five adventurers, a decent mixture of race and class. Decently balanced, though apparently lacking in someone who could take a couple of hits. “What is it?”

The elf in front gave a small smile. “Sorry to distract you from your work, but we’re looking for someone.”

Goblin Slayer gave a curt nod. “Who?”

The elven man chuckled. “Right to the point, huh? We’re looking for someone called Goblin Slayer. We were told he lived in the vicinity?”

Goblin Slayer stared from a moment, then stood up to his full height, a good foot or two above the elven man. “I am Goblin Slayer.”

The elven man’s eyes widened. “Oh, lucky us. Greetings, Goblin Slayer. We are told that you are highly skilled in combat and are tough to take down. We acquire your assistance with a quest.”

Not missing a beat, Goblin Slayer replied the moment the man was done speaking. “Is it Goblins?”

The group looked at each other, and as the elven man opened his mouth to speak, a Padfoot holding a lute cut him off. “Of course there are! You see, we’re going after a necromancer who employs Goblins as well as creating hordes of undead.” The elf gave him a hard look but the Padfoot kept going. “There might even be undead Goblins! Would you help us?”

Goblin Slayer held a hand up to his chin, or to the bottom bit of his helmet. “Hmm. I know about Goblins, but I haven’t encountered undead ones before.” Silence fell upon the group.

The other Padfoot chipped in, “So, will you work with us? You’ll be rewarded, I’m certain.”

Goblin Slayer nodded. “I need to know more about the possibility of undead Goblins, this is very concerning.”

The Padfoot with the lute spoke, uncertain. “Does that mean we have a deal?”

“Yes.”

“Great!” The Padfoot strummed his lute. “We’re going to be spending the night at the inn in town, and will set off first thing tomorrow! Meet us at the Adventurer’s Guild two hours after dawn! You should eat before you arrive, or you’ll be stuck eating while we travel!” With that, he turned around and began his trek back to town.

The others turned to follow, choruses of “Goodbye!” and “Nice to meet you!” as they left. The elf lingered for a moment before he stuck his hand out to Goblin Slayer. “It’s a pleasure to have you working with us.”

Goblin Slayer took the hand, simply replying, “Ok.”

The elf gave a nod, both released their grip, and then the elf was off after his companions.


	5. A Night of Rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Questor's chat before their big journey the next day

At the inn, the party sat on the various surfaces around the elf’s room. He had a serious look on his face, one that the others had only seen twice before. Several tense moments passed before he opened his mouth to speak. The Padfoot monk flinched as he did so. “Why did you lie to him? You realize that once we arrive at our first location, he will figure out what we did when he sees that there are no Goblins, nor any trace of Goblins?”

The bard Padfoot, still fiddling with his loot, gave a cheeky smile. “Well, we just lie again. Tell him that they must have developed some way of covering their tracks and have been ordered to move to the next location.”

The halfling cleric sighed. “He’s not an idiot, he’ll find out eventually and we really do require his help. The Life Goddess wouldn’t have guided us to him if he wasn’t a vital part of our mission. You may have jeopardized our relationship with this man.”

The bard gave a growl of disagreement. “Please, it’s not a hard ruse to maintain. Besides, I can tell that man will do anything if there’s even the slightest possibility that Goblins would be involved.”

His sister gave him a puzzled look. “How could you tell? His face is completely covered by that helmet of his.”

The barbarian woman laughed, loud like clanging bells. “Did you not see his eyes? They had a bloodlust I’ve rarely seen in the most crazed barbarians the moment goblins were mentioned. I can tell his blood boils at the thought of destroying more of his sworn foes.”

The bard smirked. “Exactly. He lives to hunt, and we just promised the possibility of not only a hunt, but a new kind of hunt for him to learn. There’s no way he’ll refuse.”

The elf shook his head and sighed. “You best be right. Without his help, I fear for the success of our mission. We need him. It may not look it, but I can feel in my bones that we need him.”

“And hopefully we’ll have him.” The cleric stood up, her small frame barely increasing in height. “We should turn in and get some rest, we have a long and hard journey ahead of us.”

General mumbles of agreement followed her statement as the other three gathered up their things and headed out, each calling their goodnights and bids for good rest. The cleric walked up to the elf and laid a dainty hand atop of his. She stared into his eyes, exuding warmth and comfort. “Don’t you worry, we’ll do this. All of us will walk away from this when our mission is complete. So long as we work together and follow the guidance of the Life Goddess.”

The elf gave a small smile. “Thanks, but I know you can’t promise that.”

She sighed. “I thought I’d try at least. Try not to worry too much, you’ll make the others worry as well.”

He nodded. “Goodnight, friend.”

She kissed his forehead. “Goodnight friend.”


	6. A Full Party Sets Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody meets up and heads off to their first destination.

Birds chirped, the sun shone, and Goblin Slayer stood in front of the Adventurer’s Guild. He’d finished his morning rounds, checking for Goblin prints. None could be found around the farm. He’d seen and talked to the farm girl, informing her that he would be leaving immediately. She’d seemed upset but insisted on making him breakfast before he went. She’d stayed true to her convictions: she’d woken before he went on his rounds and had a meal ready for him before he went. He’d planned on buying something to eat with other supplies in town, but things worked out fine.

He didn’t wait long before he saw the group of five heading toward the guild from the inn. They seemed very energetic, playful, and joyful. All of them were quite young, with the exception of the elf. The elf did have a youthful appearance, but Goblin Slayer knew better than to assume the elf’s age based solely on appearance. He was the only calm one of the group, sporting a peaceful yet serious look on his face. The group reached him and they all stopped before Goblin Slayer.

The elf smiled. “I’m glad to see you here. Allow us to introduce ourselves. I am Erik. I am skilled with a bow, it is my main weapon, but I also have considerable skill wielding two short swords in close combat.”

The cleric stepped forward. “I am Elaine. I am a cleric in service to the Life Goddess. She is the one who sent us on this quest and guided us to you. I am trained with this staff I carry, but I also have access to miracles thanks to the Life Goddess.”

The barbarian woman hefted her large sword onto her shoulder, the flat side of course. “I’m Samatha, call me Sam. I fight with the power of my anger. This sword is my weapon of choice, but I’ll use anything if needs be.

The Padfoot bard strummed his lute. “I am Markus, at your service. They can use a weapon, but why should I when I have the power of music?”

His twin waved a clawed hand in the air. “I’m Marque. I am trained with my fists and have mastered the use of qi. It’s a pleasure to fight with you!”

Goblin Slayer nodded. “I am Goblin Slayer. Let’s be off.”

Erik nodded. “I like that business-like attitude. Let us begin.”


	7. We have Arrived...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first destination yet things seem...strange.

Traveling with Goblin Slayer was quite interesting for the party of intrepid adventurers. He had many quirks about him that made little to no sense to most. He never took off his helmet, ever. The stopped at a hot spring once to bathe and recharge. He’d refused to bathe with the others and insisted on checking the perimeter for footprints and other signs of goblins. He went in to bathe by himself when the others were done, saying something about it being unwise for the whole group to be vulnerable all at once. He was very direct with answering questions, and his response to most conversations were simply, “oh” or “I see” or “ok” much to the fury of one party member in particular: Markus.

Markus was a man of long, interesting conversations. He was a bard, a storyteller, an artist, if you will. For him, Goblin Slayer was spectacularly boring from a heroic tale point of view. He was mostly silent, gave base responses to all questions, never showed his face, and only hunted goblins for some reason. How any sort of book or play or any content with Goblin Slayer as the main character be made, Markus hadn’t a clue. But the life goddess said they needed him, so with them, he shall be.

After a little over a week’s worth of travel, the party finally found themselves outside the large entrance to a cave. Goblin Slayer, standing next to Erik, titled his head. The two of them had a lot in common, being very mature, few of words, and single-minded. The difference Markus noted between the two, however, was that Erik had a clear end to his mission and at least some sort of plans as to what he was going to do once they were done. Goblin Slayer seemed to have no end of mission, and no plans as to what to do if his mission ended.

Goblin Slayer’s pleasing and gruff voice cut through Markus’s inner monologue. “This is strange.”

Erik glanced toward him. “I would agree, but I suppose it’s for different reasons. Yours first?”

“There’s no totems, no guards.” Goblin Slayer crouched down, staring at the dirt. “No marks on the ground from footprints of goblins walking in and out. The nearby town has had no raids or attacks, nor any missing women.”

Erik nodded solemnly, shooting a glance a Markus. “I see. Those must be the signs you are used to seeing from Goblins.” Goblin Slayer nodded. “Well,” Erik continued, “there are several signs that we’d expect of undead that we haven’t seen either.”

Goblin Slayer stood and turned to face Erik. “What would those be?”

“First off, as you said, there aren’t any guards. Second, as you pointed out, not footprints leading in or out. Also, just as you questioned the townspeople about Goblins and missing women, I questioned them about missing people and robbed graves. No evidence of either could be found.”

Goblin Slayer nodded, a hand to his helmeted chin. “Perhaps there was no need for bodies to be collected from the town.”

Elaine smiled. “Of course! This cave could be a burial chamber.”

Markus blinked. “What? I didn’t think humans used burial chambers.”

“We don’t. In the times of the gods, they did.” Goblin Slayer said.

Sam chuckled. “I thought you just knew about Goblins, not the history of humans.”

“I learn what I need to know about potential Goblin dwellings. When questioning the townsfolk, I asked about nearby ruins and caves, and one of them mentioned a cave that leads to an old burial chamber from the time of the Gods.”

Erik shook his head. “Why, that would be perfect for a necromancer. With whom knows how many bodies buried down there, what need would they have to come up and acquire fresh ones.”

Markus saw a perfect time to chime in. “And with it leading to an ancient building, there could be ancient artifacts or an alternative exit that any Goblins stationed here could use as an alternative to attacking the village.”

Goblin Slayer stared at Markus. “I supposed that could be an explanation.”

Marque stepped forward. “Well, we won’t know anything for sure until we go in. How do we want to do this Erik?”

Erik looked at Goblin Slayer. “What do you think, Goblin Slayer? Barbarian in the back, followed by bard, in from of him cleric, in front of her monk, and in front of her ranger and fighter?”

Goblin Slayer nodded. "I would suggest keeping the cleric close to the barbarian to discourage anyone from attacking her.”

“Hmm, that’s not a bad idea. We’ll do it your way.” Erik pulled out a torch, lit it, and gestured to the caves. “In we go.”


	8. The Caverns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Party enters the caves...what perils await within?

Goblin Slayer stopped abruptly, sticking an arm out to stop Erik from walking any further. They’d spent the last thirty minutes or so exploring the cave, its passage leading every downwards. In front of them, about 10 yards away, the passage leveled out. Goblin Slayer looked at Erik, who stuck out his hand for Goblin Slayer’s torch. Goblin Slayer handed it over and crept toward the passage. Staring down it, the faintest glow of light could be seen at the end of it.

He crept back to Erik and explained what he’d seen. Erik gave a small smile. “An undead doesn’t need a light source,” he whispered.

Goblin Slayer nodded. “Switch places with the barbarian. You prefer ranged weapons and would be of more use from a distance. We’ll need all the cover we can get to prevent an ambush of Goblins overrunning us.”

“Alright. We’ll charge in on your mark. Take note that undead do not go down easy and blows that incapacitate work better than deadly blows. A hit to the head also works.” Erik patted Goblin Slayer on the shoulder, and headed toward the back of the company, explaining the plan as he went.

A moment later Sam stood at the front with Goblin Slayer. “So, we are the frontal attack,” She murmured.

Goblin Slayer nodded. “We’ll charge in on my mark. Are you ready?”

“Yes. Let’s go get the undead bastards.” She drew out her great sword.

“Alright then, go!” Goblin Slayer stood and ran down the tunnel, Sam and the others right behind them. They clashed into the room.

Nothing was there.

Well, nothing living or undead. Plain dead bodies littered the ground, most skeletal or mummified, all ancient. Looking around, there wasn’t a single corpse less than centuries old. The party of intrepid adventurers stared about, some faces confusion, others shock, and one metaled helmet staring coolly at the surroundings, as helmets aren’t great pallets for facial expressions.

Erik was the lucky one to break the stunned silence. “This…is not what I expected when we charged in here.” He relaxed his arm pulling back a notched arrow. “I must admit, I was expecting either numerous enemies to take down or an empty room.”

Elaine pointed towards a shadowy corner of the room. “I think I see something over ther—” She didn’t even get to finish her sentence before Goblin Slayer chucked his torch over, pulling a dagger from his boot and holding it at the ready. The torch clattered to the ground, shedding light into the previously unlit corner. A rough-hewn tunnel, appearing to lead downward, was now in view. “Well, that was…effective, though unexpected. Shall we follow it down?”

Markus groaned. “Underground? With dead things? Ugh.”

Sam chuckled, bumping Markus with her hip. “Come on, you afraid or something? I’m not too fond of tight tunnels and caverns myself, but if it might lead me to a fight, I’ll go anywhere.”

Marque sniffed the air. “If you really don’t want to go down, brother, you can keep watch up here.”

Goblin Slayer nodded. “That would likely be a good idea. Having this many people in such a small tunnel would be…unwise.”

“What an acute observation, Goblin Slayer,” Erik stared intensely down that tunnel. “The question is, who stays and watches, and who goes down the tunnel.” He cursed in Elvish under his breath. “I wish we had a dwarf with us, they know the underground better than anyone.”

Goblin Slayer surveyed the group. “Cleric, ranger, and myself should be the ones to go, leaving monk, bard, and barbarian stay and guard up here.”

Sam’s large frame swiveled to face him. “Why should I stay here? I’m the strongest here, and one of the better fighters. I should go!”

“No.” Goblin Slayer’s reply was short and curt.

Sam opened her mouth for another angry retort, but Erik cut her off. “Sam, enough. I’m sure he has a perfectly logical reason, which he should explain to the group.”

“The tunnel is very narrow, and there’s no telling whether or not it gets wider. Even so, if we were to get attacked in a narrow tunnel, large weapons would be useless and cumbersome. A short sword or dagger would be best. A bow can easily be drawn in such quarters, and if it were to get into even tighter areas, the ranger also has short swords and daggers at his disposal. A cleric is always useful, and she is small so should have no difficulties traversing the tunnel.”

The group gaped wordlessly at Goblin Slayer. Surprised at how logical his reasoning was, and at the amount he said, probably speaking more in that few second time frame than he had the entire trip to this cave.

Sam let her shoulders slouch, a nonverbal sign of backing down. “I see you thought this through much more than I. I concede. Your choice on who goes is wise.”

Goblin Slayer stared at Sam. Erik once again broke the silence. “I believe it would be best if I were to lead. I have a semblance of vision in total darkness, better hearing, and although I’m not as good as a dwarf, I have learned some things about stone and tunnels.”

Goblin Slayer nodded. “You in the lead, Erik, myself in the middle, and Goblin Slayer in the rear seems a good marching order to me,” chimed Elain.

Erik nodded. “If we are in agreement, then we three shall be off.” Goblin Slayer nodded once. “Good, then onwards. Everyone, keep an eye and ear out, and no hasty decisions!”

And with that, the party was split in twain.


	9. Waiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Party left to keep watch do some stuff.

Sam paced the room, over and around the corpses. Back and forth she went, huffing and grunting the entire time. Marque stood near the entrance to the tunnel the rest of the party traveled down. Markus sat on a stone next to the doorway leading outside, his tail twitching in annoyance. Marque’s ears flickered. None of them said a word. They were all waiting, with bated breath. One waiting for the fight, one for the others to safely return, and one for the sweet breath of fresh air. Pace, twitch, flick.

“Would you sit still or something, Sam!?” Markus snapped his head to glare at Sam, his tail waving menacingly.

Sam came to a halt, staring hard back at him. She tilted her head, taking in his stance. While at first glance he looked relaxed and lazy as usual, a closer look showed that he was very tense, and standing resolutely at the entrance to the passage leading upward. “Are you…nervous?”

Markus scoffed. “Nervous, me? I’m an adventuring bard, searching for the most epic tale of duty and valor, people fighting a worthy cause, coming from all paths of life. To see that tale and transfer it to words, I must be along with to see it and partake in the danger, as a bard that doesn’t help those he travels with is not truly a bard at all but a coward!” He put his hands on his waist and tried his best to strike a valiant pose. “I am merely annoyed at your constant movement and refusal to be the calm instead of the storm.”

“You’re nervous.”

“Fuck you, Sam” Markus perched back atop the stone.

Sam made her way over, weaving around the corpses littering the room. Once she had reached him, she stood next to him, arms crossed, stance wide. Marque looked on from across the room, wanting to interrupt but not knowing whether she should let Sam be scorned or not.

“Tell me, what happened that made you despise stone enclosures.”

Markus glanced at her, the word no rolling on his tongue. He glanced up at Sam before looking away again. In his head, he pictured the way the encounter would go. He would say no. She would insist. He’d say no again. She wouldn’t budge. He’d try to cast a spell to suggest she mind her own business. She’d leave. But come back in ten minutes when the spell wore off. He sighed. “Pissed off the wrong crowd. They threw me in a hole and buried me. Erik dug me up.”

Sam nodded. “Sounds like it would make an excellent story, especially if you encountered the bastards again and they saw you lived.”

Markus gave a dry chuckle. “Unfortunately, that isn’t so. I left with Erik and haven’t been back since.”

Sam leaned forward, still in her unyielding stance. “Seems you’ve got unfinished business to attend to after this quest, eh?”

Markus cracked a small, genuine smile. “Heh, maybe so. Care to see the finale yourself? Might have a good fight.”

Sam smiled back. “A fight? I’m in.”

Marque’s ears straightened back, her eyes wide. “Guys, get ready!” She took a couple of steps back, away from the tunnel. “Something’s coming up really fast, and I can’t tell what it is!”

Sam and Markus shot over, Sam and Marque in front with Markus a few feet back. Marque settled into a fighting stance, Sam readies her weapon, and Markus held his lute, ready to strike a chord. And they went back to waiting.


	10. The Tomb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three party members, including Goblin Slayer, head deeper into the cave system to see what there is to see. Lo and behold, they see something.

The tunnel was extremely tight. Erik found himself glad to have listened to Goblin Slayer’s advice. All six of them in this tunnel would have been a nightmare. He crept along, thanking the spirits for the slender frame gifted to all elves.

The tunnel led in a steep downward spiral. Studying the floor and walls, he was able to ascertain that the tunnel had originally been made using an old technique of letting water chip away at the stone, then widened with human hands. Judging by the bits of old flesh and hair, bodies were transported by simply letting them slide down. While not carved with the greatest skill, care was taken to make the walls as smooth as possible and turns gentle enough to not damage corpses on the way down.

Erik could hear the ragged breath of Elaine behind him as she struggled to maintain traction on the slippery slope. Erik held back the desire to insist she let one of the two of them carry her. She would not take kindly to the suggestion. After twenty minutes of difficult descension, Erik finally saw the tunnel open into a larger cavern. Securing himself, he held up a closed fist, signaling the other two to halt. Looking back at them, he whispered, “The tunnel opens up into a cavern. I can smell something strange ahead. Be careful.”

After receiving nods of understanding from his companions, Erik cautiously made his way to the bottom of the spiral, where the path leveled out and fed into the cavern. The trio tread into the room, tense for action. From what Erik could see, the cavern was of decent size, all hand-carved. Stone coffins laid out in a grid pattern fill the entirety of the space. Roughly half of the coffins were smashed to pieces, the body that had laid within missing. Roughly 40 coffins lay untouched. As far as Erik could tell, there wasn’t another way out besides the way they’d come.

Erik looked over his shoulder at Goblin Slayer and Elaine. “It seems there is nothing else here besides a desecrated tomb, perhaps we should—” Suddenly a bright light blue light filled the room, interrupting Erik. He automatically swiveled his head to face the light, grunting as he threw his arm up to shield his eyes.

A commanding voice boomed forth, echoing throughout the room. “Lay down your arms and submit to my will or seal your fate of this place becoming **your** tomb!”

Erik felt his body tremble, and his grip on his weapons loosen. A small voice in the back of his head whispered that it would be wise to surrender, that this was no place to die needlessly, that there was no point in fighting this being. Erik squeezed his eyes closed and shook his head violently, forcibly tightening his grip on his weapons. He would not be falling for this trick again, even if it meant certain death. A loud, raspy “NO!” erupted from his mouth. His body still trembled, and that small voice still whispered, but he was not giving up.

He heard footsteps behind him and turned to look as they approached; his eyes open. Goblin Slayer now stood next to him; his short sword filed down for use in even the tightest of caves still clutched in his hand. Goblin Slayer stared up at the source of the light, his helmet apparently shielding his eyes enough to make it possible. He spoke, his voice still firm. “Are you a Goblin?”

Silence filled the room for a moment. Then the booming voice answered. “Why would you think I’m a Goblin, human? How dare you assume I am one of those lowly creatures, whose only use is as underlings and sacrifices? Lay down and submit, and perhaps I will spare your life still, even after such an insult.”

Goblin Slayer tilted his head. “So do work with Goblins.” Without another word spoken from him or the voice, Goblin Slayer hefted his sword and flung it at the source of the light. A resounding crack bounced around the room, with another blinding flare of light before all went dark.

The whispering in the back of Erik’s mind finally stopped, though his body still trembled. He blinked madly until his eyes adjusted to the dark. He looked around at his companions. Goblin Slayer stood in the exact same spot as he had when he’d thrown his weapon. Elaine stood slightly behind the two of them, her staff still clutched in her hands. She stared back at Erik, her head tilted and looking at him with concern. He managed a small smile, trying his best to look reassuring.

Erik faced Goblin Slayer once more. “Smart, flinging your weapon toward the center of the light. What made you do it?”

Goblin Slayer, still looking in the direction the light had been in, “Voices and sound originate from somewhere, as well as light.”

Erik stared at him for a moment, slightly baffled at the simplicity of his logic. “And throwing your weapon at your source would either kill it or break it, depending on what it was, and stop both the voice and the light?”

Goblin Slayer nodded. Erik shook his head and walked over to where he figured the weapon would have fallen, based on where the light had been floating in the air. After just a few moments of searching, he found the weapon. Lying next to it, severely cracked, was a glass orb filled with swirling black mist. He nudged it with his foot, wary about picking it up. The orb collapsed in on itself, the mist boiling up in front of him before being wisped away toward the remaining unopened coffins. One word escaped Erik’s mouth as he saw this happen, “Fuck.”

The bodies inside the stone coffins began to bang and hit their confining containers, trying to break free. Erik snatched Goblin Slayer’s sword from the floor and sprinted back towards the others. “Time to go!” he shouted, snatching Elaine up and swinging her onto his back. Goblin Slayer turn and stumbled back the way they came, tripping over debris he had previously walked over. Erik felt his stomach drop.

Goblin Slayer couldn’t see. He’d been looking directly at the light when it had flared from his strike, and probably hadn’t had time to close his eyes. Erik grabbed Goblin Slayer’s arm and began pulling him through the passage, shouting, “Don’t think about it, just go! Feel your way back up, I’ll be right behind you!” Goblin Slayer clambered up the steep passage, seemingly taking Erik’s advice to heart. Despite the terrain and his lack of sight, Goblin Slayer still moved at a considerable pace. Erik was right behind him, glancing over his should every few seconds, waiting for the moment he would see a group of shriveled undead giving chase.

About halfway up he heard them: the growls and snarled of undead as they crawled up the passage after the adventurers. Erik drew one of his short swords, now clambering up the passageway with a sword in hand. Thankfully, Goblin Slayer was moving faster than the undead. They pulled themselves to the top, Goblin Slayer stumbling his way back into the main chamber where the other three members of their party stood waiting, weapons at the ready. Goblin Slayer stumbled past them, tripping and falling to the ground next to the bard.

Erik himself bounded out of the tunnel, swinging Elaine to the floor, and taking his place at the front of the group. “Undead coming, they’re hot on our heels, Elaine, see if you can do something to help Goblin Slayer, we’re going to need him!” He drew his other sword, his hands still trembling. Thoughts and memories were racing through his mind. He took a deep breath in, slowly expelling it through his open mouth. Barely a minute passed before the first shriveled body appeared in the tunnel, archaic weapon gripped in a near skeletal hand. Now was not the time for memories.

Now was time for a fight for their lives.


End file.
